The Legend of Zelda: Shadows from the Past
by BOMBULL
Summary: The tale of the near extermination of the Sheikah, at the hands of their own. Beginning before The Ocarina of Time and continuing after The Adventure of Link, a new darkness awaits..... (Beginning of Chapter 3 now up.)
1. Prologue

The Sheikah stood silently, eyes forward. Some fidgeted, trying to put some distance between them and those accursed Hylians. If that was even possible.  
The main chamber of Hyrule Castle was crowded. Perhaps an understatement. The main chamber was packed. People were pouring in through the doorways like a colony of ants. Guards had to shift and shuffle, trying not to prod the crowd with their spears. People were pushing and shoving, eager to catch a glimpse of their new king. Not to mention who he was appointing as his chief adviser.   
Soon, a hush came over the crowd. A hooded figure appeared before the audience. The people moved to either side of the room. It didn't matter, as long as there was nobody in the center aisle. The guards who escorted the stranger, with their gleaming spears, made sure of that.   
As the procession walked slowly up the aisle, inquisitive folk tried to catch a glimpse of the stranger's face. But one glance from a guard's face tamed the people whose curiosity had gotten the better of them.  
When the hooded figure had reached the king, he turned around and faced the crowd. It turns out that he was a _she_. A Sheikah.  
Gasps came from the audience. The Sheikah turned and looked at one another, as did the Hylians. What was the new king _doing_? He wasn't king for even a day and already he had caused quite a commotion.  
The Hylians were appalled at this turn of events. How could their king appoint the enemy to the coveted position of chief adviser? Why not at least choose someone from their own race? For all he knows, his soon-to-be-chief adviser could thrust a dagger right into his heart then and there. Although the guards had searched her, twice, in fact, there were clever ways that the woman could conceal her weapons. The king didn't appear to be alarmed, however. That was good. As the new king, appearances meant everything.  
The Sheikah were even more surprised than the Hylians. How could their leader be forced into the service of strangers? Demoted from a great leader to a lowly....... adviser. This truly was an immense blow to the morale of the Sheikah. However, they kept quiet. Those spear points didn't exactly look like they wanted to be messed with.  
Another hush fell upon the crowd. The woman turned to face the King of Hyrule and kneeled before him. The king raised his arms over the woman.  
"Friends," the king began.  
Hisses arose from the crowd.  
_Perhaps I shouldn't have said that,_ the king thought.  
"Citizens of Hyrule," he started again. A pause.   
Silence.   
_Better,_ thought the king.  
"We are gathered here today in ceremony for the ordination of Hyrule's newest chief adviser. I have full confidence that she will aid us greatly regarding diplomatic affairs with other nations.   
"While some of you doubt my decision," the king said, with a small, almost unnoticeable grin, "I do not. If anybody objects to my appointee, speak now."  
Another period of silence.  
"Then, without further ado, I will administer the oath of office."  
The woman stood before the king. Her face was like stone, with years of hardship chiseled into it. Her silvery hair was tied in a ragged ponytail.  
"Do you, Impa, hereby swear to uphold the office of chief adviser with all your wisdom? Do you swear to hold allegiance to the present government of Hyrule? Do you accept this responsibility?" the king asked.  
"I do," she replied in a voice that held authority as well as humility.  
The king said, "Then I proclaim you as the new chief adviser of the kingdom of Hyrule."  
Impa bowed graciously before the king. Then she turned and faced the audience. A split second before there was any applause (which wasn't going to be loud, the king knew), the king said, "Wait."  
The new chief adviser turned around to face the king. _Her_ king.  
The King of Hyrule looked thoughtful for a moment, then continued,  
"Do you, Impa, in the names of Din, Nayru, and Farore swear to serve Princess Zelda, with all your strength, wisdom, and heart? Do you accept _this_ responsibility to defend her in times of danger, to advise in times of counseling, to take care when a gentle hand is needed?"  
The newly appointed King of Hyrule stood over Impa, prepared to appoint her as the caretaker for his daughter, the Princess Zelda. After all, since her mother had died, she needed to be taken care of, and that was a big responsibility, as he didn't have enough of them, being king and all. As the King raised his hands over the Impa's head, he could almost hear the whispers of disapproval among the audience. He was beginning to have his doubts. _I'm going to regret this,_ he thought to himself.  
Impa was taken aback. She glanced quickly from side to side. She obviously hadn't been prepared for this. She was wise, she knew, which was why she had accepted the king's summons for an adviser. But what did she know about children? _Perhaps it will be for the best. Might give me a chance to relate to people on other levels, not just soldiers and assassins,_ she reasoned with herself. She quickly added, _But I know that I'm going to regret this._  
"I do," Impa said with a voice that contained only humility.  
There were no applauses. Tension thickened in the room.  
_Better think of something fast or you can kiss your leadership good-bye, your Highness.   
_The king abruptly asked Impa, "Would you like to dance?"  
Just as surprised as by the king's last question, she found herself saying yes and took his hand.  
As the two of them attempted to dance in the overly crowded floor, the minstrels began to play. Beautiful music they played, and soon more people were dancing on the floor. It made things kind of tight, though. And it was obvious that each race decided to avoid each other. But the tension had lessened.  
_Now_ Impa understood why the king had asked her to dance.  
Impa, as she danced with the king, asked him, "Sire, why did you ask me to care for your daughter?"  
The king replied, "Well, her mother has been gone for many years now. I thought it would be proper to find a...... _maternal_ figure for her."  
"But I have no experience with children."  
"Nevertheless, I think you'll do a commendable job."  
"Thank you."  
Impa also asked another question that was burning in her mind.  
"Sire, and please be perfectly honest, do you think that things will get better between the Sheikah and the Hylians? Not to mention the rest of the kingdom."  
"I think that we will have to wait and see. In time, I think things will get better. In time."  
  
  
Princess Zelda, now thirteen years old, ran through the long, twisting corridors of the castle, desperate to lose her pursuer. It was dark and chilly, with only the torchlight for comfort.  
"Get back here or you'll regret this!" the figure shouted.  
Zelda made a sharp turn around a corner, hurrying and trying to keep to the shadows. She could still hear the faint echoes, as if the shadows themselves were whispering it to her. Zelda moved along the sides of the wall, her hands running along the cold, rough texture.  
"Oh, where is it?" she whispered to herself. "I know it's here somewhere."  
Suddenly, she felt a large, smooth section of wall. Still cold, but smooth.   
"Here it is!" she said triumphantly as she pushed the wall back to form a small alcove, perfect for hiding.  
Though Zelda thought that she had lost the pursuer, she glanced back, just in case. She could neither see nor hear anything that was out of the ordinary. Regardless, Zelda decided to take refuge in the niche set in the wall and catch her breath. She peeked out of the corner slowly and held her breath as a shadowy figure came running toward her. Zelda shut her eyes tight, but to her amazement, the shadow had past her. She breathed a sigh of relief and managed to climb out of her tight hiding spot.  
"I'm glad to be out of there," she muttered as she straightened out her rumpled dress.  
Zelda checked one side of the dim hallway. Nothing.  
A dark figure began creeping silently towards Zelda, cleverly hidden within the shadows. It was obvious that the person had experience with acquiring prey.  
Zelda whispered to herself, "They'll never be able to catch me." She grinned. "I'm too- agh!"  
The figure had slipped behind Zelda, and clasped a firm hand around her mouth. Zelda struggled in vain.  
"Ah, princess, still as mischievous as ever, I see," the figure said quietly and lifted a hand from Zelda's mouth, allowing her to speak. The captor still held on to its captive by wrapping an arm around her, should she decide to get away again.  
"Impa, don't you _ever_ scare me like that again!" Zelda said.  
"I'm just doing my job," Impa replied. "Especially after you ruined that pot of stew for the king's guests."  
"Can't they take a joke?" Zelda asked sweetly.  
"Obviously not. And now, you will apologize to the cook, and face whatever punishment he has to offer."  
"Oh, I'm _real_ scared," Zelda said, a look of feigned terror in her eyes.  
"And," Impa continued, "after we are done with our business with the cook, we will go and have a talk with your father."  
_Now_ Zelda had a look of genuine terror in her eyes.  
  
"But Dad, no!" Zelda pleaded.  
"Zelda, you will spend the rest of the day in your room, and tomorrow, you will help the cook clean the pots and pans. And when we invite our guests again, you will personally apologize to each and every one of them. Am I understood?" the king asked sternly. Impa looked at Zelda.  
Zelda nodded meekly.  
"Now go to your room."   
"But..."  
"NOW!" the king roared.  
The princess, in a huff, stormed out of the room and up the stairs to her room, high up in the tower. The king and Impa could hear the door slam. Strong girl, Zelda.  
The king let out a chuckle.  
"I think I overdid it there a bit, haven't I?" the king asked.  
"No, sire, of course not," Impa said.  
"But thank you for finding her for me."  
"No trouble at all, sire."  
"Impa, I have watched your progress with Zelda over the years and I must say that you have done quite a fine job. You always manage to find her hiding spots," the king said.  
"Well, as a child, I have used them before," Impa said.  
"Nevertheless, you have always faithfully served me. Not to mention the rest of Hyrule. Relations with other nations have improved dramatically, especially with the Sheikah. For that, I owe you a debt of gratitude."  
Impa replied, "I am just doing my job, sire."  
"With Ganondorf imprisoned in the Sacred Realm and no uprises by the Gerudo as of late, I feel that you have protected my daughter long enough, and I now relieve you of your duties taking care of Zelda."  
"Sire, I don't know what to say, " Impa replied. She had grown quite attached to the mischievous little princess and didn't really want to leave her.  
"Don't say anything. You have been every bit a mother to my daughter and I think that she should be old enough by now to take care of herself," the king said.  
"Thank you, my king. But what about my duties as chief adviser?" Impa asked.  
"Oh, don't you worry about that. You're still my number one adviser, so we can be expecting you to hang around the castle for quite a while," the king said with a smile.  
"Thank you again, sire," she replied as she returned his smile.  
"That is all. You are dismissed for the day," the king said.  
Impa bowed low. "My king."  
  
  
There was a knock at Zelda's door.  
"Zelda, can I come in?" said the king.  
No response.  
The king turned the knob.   
_At least she left it unlocked,_ the king thought.  
He opened the door slowly and found his daughter sitting on her bed, writing something in her diary. She always did that whenever she was mad at her father. Often, the king wondered what his daughter had wrote about him.  
"Zelda, I'm sorry that I had to punish you, but it was the right thing to do," the king said apologetically.  
No response.   
"You know that I still love you."  
Zelda just scribbled something in her diary, pressing down hard with her ink-tipped feather.  
_This is gonna be tougher than I thought.  
_"Impa will not be your caretaker anymore," the king said abruptly, hoping to get his daughter to talk.  
"What?!" Zelda cried and flung her diary across the bed. She found it hard to believe that her caretaker, almost like a mother to her for thirteen years, is leaving her. Abandoning her.  
"Now, now, Zelda. She's only relieved of her caretaker duties. Impa is still my chief adviser, so you'll still be seeing quite a lot of her around here," the king said as he wrapped his arms around Zelda to comfort her.  
"It's not the same," Zelda said. "Oh, why did she have to leave?"  
"I just thought it best for you to learn to take care of yourself now," the king replied.  
Zelda rushed over to the window, hoping to see Impa before she left. She scanned the vast fields, looking for any sign of Impa. Then, Zelda heard a horse cry from below. It rushed through the gates of the castle, its rider urging the horse to go faster.  
"Impa!" Zelda cried out as the horse raced towards the village of Kakariko, where Impa's home lay.  
The princess lay sobbing in her bed, her face buried in a soft pillow.   
The king held Zelda in his arms and stroked her hair.   
"There, there. It's all right," he said.  
As the king said this, he glanced to the edge of the bed and found Zelda's diary, still on the page where she last wrote.   
What the king read brought tears to his eyes.  
_I Love You._  
  
  
The village of Kakariko was bustling that day. Vendors sold their wares on the street, pushing worthless junk upon unsuspecting people. Customers balked at their prices while children played happily in the village square. Men were working hard, building a house for a newlywed couple on the east side of town. The wife brought the exhausted men a pitcher of water and gave her husband a peck on the cheek. The birds were singing, and the sun was shining. All in all, a beautiful day.  
"Impa, you're home!" a stout man called out and waved as Impa rode into the village.  
Impa slowed her horse to a halt and climbed off of it.  
"There, boy, go take a drink," Impa whispered to her horse and led him to a trough full of cool water.  
"Hello, Tyrus," Impa said coolly.  
The two grasped each other's forearms  
"Been a couple years now, hasn't it? And you've never dropped by in all that time?" Tyrus wore an expression of mock hurt on his face.  
Impa put a hand up to her face to hide her smile. Tyrus had always made her laugh when they were kids. She felt a little guilty for not having visited him in a long time. After all, he _was_ her brother.  
"I've been busy, helping the king and everything," Impa explained.  
"Oh." Tyrus looked genuinely hurt this time and Impa could see it in his eyes.  
"Look, I'm sorry I haven't visited you. It's just that... well, I don't feel that I'm accepted here anymore," Impa said sadly.  
"Yeah, especially after what happened last time. Don't worry now, though, the others aren't as angry with you since you last visited. In fact, you are now held in high regard by many of our people. But just in case, I've persuaded our new leader to imprison anybody who even touches you," Tyrus said.  
"That's very reassuring," Impa smiled. "But who is this new leader, and why haven't I known about this immediately?" The Sheikah held a more serious tone to her voice.  
"We haven't told you about him because we weren't sure how you would react," Tyrus explained. Not a very good explanation and he knew it.  
"So, all this time, you've advertised a false government to the king? Don't you realize that if this is found out by the king, everything that we have built with the Sheikah will be destroyed?"  
"Wait a minute, just wait! Since when did you consider yourself a Hylian? You have just counted yourself among the others rather than your own. So I ask you, where does your loyalty lie? With the king and his Hylians or your brother and the Sheikah? " Tyrus asked heatedly.  
Impa looked at the ground, trying to come up with an answer.   
Finally, she said coldly, "I do not hold allegiance to anyone but myself. Should I choose to serve the Hylians or the Sheikah, I will do so on my own time."  
Impa called her horse with a piercing whistle and he appeared, its mouth still dripping with water. She climbed on the horse and started off.  
"Good-bye, Tyrus," Impa said, not looking at her brother.  
Tyrus stood there, watching as his sister rode away. "If you're wondering who our new leader is," he yelled, "his name is Dethyl."  
Impa silently passed under the village gates, ignoring her brother once again. But that name.....  
With a disgusted sigh, Tyrus headed back to his little shack nearby. Gray clouds began to gather in the sky. The sound of thunder reverberated across the land and it began to rain.  
  
  
Flashes of lightning lit up the night sky for the briefest of moments. Rain hammered the Royal Castle, eroding the ancient stone. The towers of the castle loomed like titans, unaffected by the howling wind and rain. Guards patrolled the ramparts, grumbling about how they would catch a cold and that their armor would rust. Regardless, they kept a keen eye open, in case of any intruders. One could never be too cautious on a stormy night such as this one.  
Princess Zelda paced around in her tower, trying to occupy herself. She found her diary on the bed but coudn't think of anything to write.   
"How could Impa leave me like this? At least I wouldn't be bored," Zelda said to herself. A smile crept to her lips as she thought of her little fiasco in the dungeons today.  
The princess walked toward the edge of the room and peeked out the window. She quickly pulled her head back in, her headdress soaking wet.  
"Agh!" Zelda said as she threw her headdress on the floor, still dripping.   
_Good job, Princess,_ she berated herself.  
"Wait a minute..."  
A light dawned on Zelda, and she began searching for a cloak.   
She found one under her bed and wrapped it around herself. Zelda slipped the headdress on and moved toward the window again. She looked down, judging to see how high it was from her window to the courtyard. She went back to her bed and ripped the blankets from her bed. She tied them together to form a long rope. Zelda threw her makeshift rope, being careful to hold on tight. The mischievous princess tied one end to her bed post. She pulled on it to make sure it would support her. It did.  
"Well, here goes nothing," Zelda said as she climbed out of her window into the storm.  
Inch by inch, Zelda slowly climbed down the rope, hoping that her cloak would shield her from the sight of the watchful guards. The rope swayed violently from side to side and Zelda swayed with it. She screamed as she lost her grasp. But no one could hear her.  
She frantically flailed her arms, hoping to grasp something. Anything. Zelda could see the ground rushing up to meet her and closed her eyes. She hit the ground on her back with a low thud and everything turned black. Not that it was much of a difference anyway.  
  
  
When Zelda came to, she could hear yelling in the background of the wind and rain. It was faint, but she heard it. She tried to move but she gasped in pain. Zelda, indifferent to the pounding rain, just lied there like a dead stone. Her eyes were open, but she could only stare out into the darkness.   
Zelda could hear guards shout commands to one another. The sound of clashing swords rang in her ears. What was _happening?_  
Vision slowly came back to Zelda. Everything was blurry at first, but she could see movement. A strange red haze also clouded her vision. Dizziness overcame the princess and she closed her eyes for what seemed to be an eternity. But she could still hear the painful screaming and the sound of flesh ripping. A heavy mass fell upon the princess and she opened her eyes. It looked like a...... Sheikah.  
"Impa!" Zelda cried. She turned the body over to reveal the face but it did not belong to her beloved caretaker. Zelda heaved a sigh of relief.   
"Help, someone, please..."  
Zelda, with all her strength, crawled away from the body, horrified at the deep gash in the warrior's neck.   
The princess continued to crawl like a wounded animal towards a small tree for shelter beneath the pelting rain. She grew exhausted, and she just lay there, waiting to be captured, waiting to be rescued, waiting to be killed, whichever came first.  
Zelda looked around for any help. She spotted a guard nearby, sword drawn, and called for his aid.  
"Please help me," she rasped.  
"Who's there? Show yourself!" the guard answered. His fingers twitched. The guard obviously wanted to kill something.  
"Down here," Zelda said as loud as she could.  
The guard rushed over to Zelda. He looked across the courtyard, and then he kneeled down beside Zelda.  
"Princess, is that you? What are you doing here? We've got to get you inside, fast! The Sheik-"  
Before the guard could finish, a sword had pierced right through his chest. The guard made a horrible choking sound, then his eyes rolled back. The attacker ripped the sword from the soldier's back and kicked him off to the side.  
The man was clad in black, with a dark cloak covering his body. His face was reminiscent of the Gerudo King, Ganondorf.  
"No! No, no! It can't be!" Zelda screamed, trying to back away.  
"Princess Zelda, we finally meet at last," the stranger sneered.  
Zelda was surprised. _We finally meet at last._ What was he thinking?  
"W-who are you?"   
"Didn't Impa tell you?" he asked, his black eyes glinting. "I am Dethyl, Lord of the Shadows."  
"What do you want?" asked Zelda, trying to muster up some courage.  
"Enough, little girl! You are in no position to ask questions. Now is the time when the Sheikah will rule once again!" With that, he raised his cruel-looking sword to the sky, prepared to kill the princess.  
"Hold it right there, Dethyl," said Impa as she leaped toward him daggers drawn.  
"Ah, if it isn't the traitorous witch who had deserted her kinsmen, leaving them to wallow in their own dark abyss. Now, I will show you what true darkness is!"  
Dethyl leaped away, his cloak whipping in the wind. Impa missed, but she rolled back onto her feet, face-to-face with the Dark Lord. Dethyl jumped in the air and kicked Impa heavily in the shoulder. Impa crashed into the ground. But she regained her composure. Impa firmly grasped her twin daggers and hacked at Dethyl. The Dark Lord swiftly parried them with his sword and then lunged for the kill.   
Before Dethyl could swing his sword, Impa, with a swift slice, cut a gash deep into his face.  
"Agh!" the Dark Lord screamed as he grasped his face in pain, dropping his sword with a loud clank.  
Impa put away her daggers and thrust her palm forward into Dethyl's chest and he flew backwards onto the wall. The threat was over and Impa made her way to Princess Zelda.  
"Princess, are you all right? Are you hurt?" Impa frantically searched the princess to see if she had any open wounds.  
"I'm fine, I just can't move my legs," Zelda said weakly.  
Impa wasn't satisfied. "We need to get you some help."  
With that, Impa lifted the princess gently off the ground, being careful with her legs. They could hear fighting going on elsewhere, but they were thankful that they weren't there to witness it.   
A moment before Zelda closed her eyes, she could see a dark mass behind Impa, blade drawn.  
"Impa, watch out!" Zelda shrieked.  
Too late.  
Before Impa could turn, the sword had cut through her right shoulder. Zelda flew from Impa's hands and landed on her back with a loud groan. Impa dropped to her knees in agony.  
"Did you really think you could get rid of me that easily?" Dethyl laughed coldly and walked in front of Impa. "Now, prepare to meet your ancestors!"  
"No!" Zelda screamed at the top of her lungs.  
Impa, eyes wide with fear, searched for her daggers. Before she could, Dethyl thrust his sword through Impa's chest. She looked up at him for a long, painful moment.   
Slowly, he twisted his sword, clearly relishing the moment, his mouth in an evil grin. His bone-chilling laughter rang across the courtyard. He still grasped his blood-stained sword in his hand and pulled it out. Impa fell to the ground.  
"Zelda...." Impa hoarsely whispered. Her pleas did not reach Zelda.  
"Now, it is your turn," Dethyl said, pointing his sword at the princess.  
He stalked toward Zelda, but before he could raise his sword, all three of them could hear the castle guards approaching. Dethyl, with a furious look on his face, sheathed his sword and pulled his cloak over his head.   
"This isn't finished yet. I will come back and finish you off as well as the rest of those damn Hylians!"   
With a scowl, Dethyl pulled a small object out of his belt, threw it on the ground, and disappeared in a blinding flash.   
Zelda crawled toward Impa nearby. She was barely alive.  
"Impa, please don't die," Zelda cried, holding Impa in her arms. Tears streamed down her face.  
"Zelda, I'm... sorry," Impa whispered. "Please, don't worry about me. I'll be fine, I'll be...." Impa closed her eyes and she became still. Dead.  
The guards came to Zelda's aid.   
"Zelda, get away from her!" one of the guards yelled, pulling out his sword. The princess didn't hear him.  
Zelda pounded Impa's chest, wishing that it was all a dream.  
"Wake up, wake up, wake UP!" Zelda screamed.  
The guards, confident that there wasn't any danger, formed a circle around Zelda and Impa. They found it difficult to keep a straight face.  
"Impa, please, please wake up," Zelda sobbed.  
All around, the guards found themselves misty-eyed.   
"What's going on here?" the king demanded, still in his night robe. "My messenger had told me..."  
The guards couldn't find their voice so they just moved out of the way, revealing the king's daughter on the ground.  
"Zelda," the king called. He rushed over to his daughter and embraced her. Zelda just stared blankly into the darkness.  
"Are you all right? Are you hurt?" the king asked worriedly.  
"Dad, Dad, I'm fine," Zelda said, "but Impa's dead."  
The king looked shocked. "Dead? How? Who did this?"   
"Your highness," one of the guards stuttered, "I believe that the Sheikah have done this."  
"The _Sheikah?_ But that's impossible. Why would they do this to one of their own?" the king asked.  
"We don't know, your highness," the soldier said. "But I promise you, we will get to the bottom of this."  
The king looked for a long time at Impa, rain soaking his garments. There was a clap of thunder and a brief second of light.   
"What is that writing on the wall?" the king asked.  
Everyone turned. A nearby guard held up a torch, unquenchable by the rain, and walked toward the wall. The red and orange flames licked at the crude writing etched into the wall.  
_Death to all Hylians and the Sheikah who choose to be counted with them. May the death of the once-great Impa be an example to all of you. We are the Sheika Ka Um, the Shadow People, and we will reclaim what has been stolen from us._


	2. Dark Horizon

"Link, what are you doing?" shouted Garrick. He ran a large hand through his dark hair. "Just let go of the damn fish, you stubborn old fool!"  
The burning sun reflected off the azure water of Lake Hylia. Clouds were nowhere in sight. Seagulls noisily patrolled the shoreline, searching for the tiniest scraps of food. The water slowly advanced and retreated, bringing soft, white foam with it. Horses roamed the green, open fields nearby. Tall, ominous mountains surrounded the lake. A beautiful place for relaxation for everybody, young or old. Well, maybe not _everybody._  
"Hey, I may be stubborn and I may be a fool, but I am far from old!" Link yelled. He was waist deep in water, struggling to hold on to his catch. His rod almost snapped.  
"This one will get away, I just know it," Garrick predicted.  
"Well, well. You want to make a wager? Fifty rupees say I catch this lunker," Link challenged. He gave a yank and the fish came closer to him. Link grinned.  
"You're on!"  
Soon, the fish was almost within Link's grasp. He reached out with one hand while holding the pole in the other.  
"Haha! I told you I'd catch this fish! I'm always righ-aah!"  
The fish somehow managed to pull Link off his feet and right into the lake. Just when Link thought it was over, his catch dragged him across the lake. He skidded across the water, leaving a trail of foam in his wake and distorting the sun's reflection.  
"Link, let go of the blasted rod!" Garrick called from the shore.  
Link yelled back, "N-no, I-I'm not losing this b-bet!" His arms almost ripped from his sockets as the fish made a sharp turn, skimming the coastline.  
Link, with one eye open, spotted a dead branch sticking out of the water. As the fish dragged him to the branch, Link grabbed on with his free hand. He felt ready to split in two with the fish frantically trying to swim away. He asked himself if this bet worth anymore trouble. Link looked at Garrick's smug expression.   
Yes. Yes, It was.  
Link turned back to the fish. "You're mine."  
Soaking wet, he hooked his feet on the branch. With both of his hands free, Link reeled his line as strong as he could. The fish inched closer and closer until it was again within his grasp.  
"Not this time," Link said as he grabbed the fish. A_ big_ fish.  
The fish struggled and squirmed, trying to escape Link's grasp. Somehow, he managed to hold on, despite the slippery slime on the fish. Link, with his dripping brown hair, rushed to the shore and tossed the fish on the sand. It flopped around a few times in vain then stopped.  
Link put his hands on his waist and looked over his new prize. He chuckled.  
"Well, look what we have here. A real fine catch. I'd estimate..." Link picked up the dead fish and lifted it. "Twenty pounds."  
"Ah, Link, you proved me wrong once again. But, a bet is a bet," Garrick said as he pulled a small pouch from his belt. He pulled out four small gems that glinted beautifully in the sunlight. "Here's your money."  
"Thanks."  
"Let's do something else next time, like archery," Garrick suggested.   
"Sure thing, buddy," said Link with a cocky smile.  
Garrick looked at the fish. "What say we cook that fish and eat it? I'm starved." His stomach growled.  
Pointing a finger at his friend, Link said, "_You _can cook the fish and _you _can eat the fish. I'm going to take a long rest."

The lights in the room were dim. Candles were placed in small niches. Beautiful tapestries covered the wall, making it seem less foreboding. On one side of the room was Princess Zelda, asleep on a large bed. She no longer was a little girl but was now a young, beautiful woman of about twenty. However, she had been alive for much longer.

Centuries ago, a sorcerer skilled in the black arts appeared and cast a powerful spell on the princess. While retaining her youth, the princess would sleep forever until a descendant of the Bearers of the Master Sword awakened her. His name was Link, coincidentally named after his ancestors, the Hero of Time and the Conqueror of Darkness, both Bearers of the Master Sword. He had waken her from her deep slumber only a few days ago, and the princess was getting acquainted with her new surroundings. 

An old woman limped toward the princess, bearing a tray of bread and cup of steaming tea, made from the crushed leaves of the Lyrie Tree. She set the tray on a wooden table beside the bed and sat on a stool. She looked down at the princess and stroked her hair with a wrinkled hand.

"Princess, wake up," the woman whispered softly.

Zelda turned over to the side and pulled the covers over her.

"Five more minutes, Dad," she said sleepily.

The woman just looked at Zelda sadly. She gently shook the sleeping princess.

Zelda awoke with a small yawn. She stretched and sat up. A cold, sharp breeze blew in from an open window. The princess shivered and wrapped her blanket around her shoulders.  
"Princess, would you like to eat? You must be cold, so I brought you some tea," the woman said as she rose from her seat to close the curtains.

"Yes, please," said the princess as she sipped her tea. "Thank you, uh..."

"Impa," the woman answered with a smile. 

Zelda looked surprised. "Impa? That was the name of my caretaker when I was a little girl. That was a long time ago...."

"She must be one of my ancestors. But I thought she was the leader of a tribe."

Zelda looked at her tea, small wisps of smoke rising from it. "She used to be the leader of the Sheikahs, before... we came."

"We?" Impa asked.

"The Hylians. Before we came, the Sheikah were the rulers of Hyrule at the time."

This time, it was Impa's turn to look surprised. Her grandparents had never told her that the woman whose name she bore was not only the leader of the Sheikahs but also the leader of _Hyrule_. A proud smile formed on Impa's lips. When she glanced at Zelda's face, it disappeared .

"When I was thirteen," continued the princess. "She died." She looked down at the bed with glassy eyes. "A man named Dethyl killed her." Hot tears began to stream down Zelda's eyes.

Impa's hand flung to her mouth. "I'm so sorry, child." She wrapped an arm around Zelda. "It's okay. That was a long time ago. He's gone now."

Zelda laid her head on Impa's shoulder. "I suppose you're right."

"Mmm, that was some great fish.," Garrick said with a smack of his lips.

His friend, still sleeping in his tent, had missed lunch. He could hear him snoring loudly. He let out a small laugh.

"Boy, that fish must've really wiped him out. Glad that I'm not him," Garrick said to himself.

As he watched the dying embers in the fire give off small wisps of gray smoke, he noticed darker clouds of smoke in the distance. 

"Wha...." said Garrick as he rose to wake up Link. "Link, wake up!"

"Five more minutes, Dad," he said sleepily.

"I'm not your dad and you will wake up now! Look!" Garrick said as he kicked the tent, causing it to crash down on Link.

Link rose and threw the tent away. "Listen, if you're still mad about before, I can....." He stopped short as he saw the smoke.

Garrick said, "What the hell is that? That isn't any bonfire, I'll tell you that." 

"I don't know. Whatever it is, it doesn't look good. Let's go!"

As Link and Garrick saddled up to investigate, they could see the black smoke rising above the trees in the distance. Flocks of squawking birds flew overhead and blocked the sunlight, trying to get away from the choking smoke. Faint screams reached their ears.

Link climbed on his horse, Epona. His friend did the same.

"What about our stuff here?" Garrick waved at their mess.

Link stared at the smoke with a grim look on his face. He checked his side, making sure if his sword was there, just in case. It was. "We'll come back for it. Right now, we have to check this out. Hya!

Link dashed off on his horse, his hair flowing in the wind.

"Great, just great. Aren't we supposed to be off-duty?" With a sigh and a slap, Garrick struggled to keep up with Link, who was a good distance away already. He didn't have to check for his sword. He always kept it on him.

"This is terrible," Link said as he surveyed the damage. "Who did this?" 

Stone buildings lay in crumbling ruin while straw huts were charred black. Small patches of fire still scattered the village, sending black wisps of smoke into the air. Bodies littered the ground. Men, women, and children were slaughtered and none were spared. Even the livestock, which were kept on the outskirts of the village, were burned, along with the villager's crops. The rancid scent of burnt animal flesh reached Link and Garrick. Their nostrils twitched with disgust.

"I don't know, but we'll find those bastards," Garrick said as he gazed at the body of a slain boy of about five years. He gritted his teeth.

Link unsheathed his sword. "Let's go look for survivors."

"If there are any," Garrick muttered and pulled out his own sword, its sharp edge gleaming in the sunlight.

Link searched the south side of the village while his friend searched the west side. Neither of them had any luck, only a few blackened bodies. Link and Garrick hurried back to the village square. There was a well in the center, still standing in good condition. The _only _thing still standing in good condition. 

Together, Link and Garrick checked the north and east sides. They called out to see if anybody was there but they only heard silence. Once again, the two of them headed back toward the village square, both of them becoming increasingly frustrated.

"I can't believe this. There is absolutely nothing here. No weapons or clothing, not even footprints. Something is seriously wrong here," Link said. He ran a hand through his brown hair.

"I'll say. We should have been here."

Link just sighed and went to the well to fetch a drink of water. He lowered the bucket down and he was surprised to hear a howl from the bottom of the well.

"Hey! What the...?" a voice yelled. It sounded male. 

Link looked at Garrick. They both readied their swords, suspicious of an attack. Link peered down the well but saw darkness.

"Who's down there?" Link asked.

"My name is Leras and I'm stuck down here. Can you get me out? It's cold down here," the man said.

Link looked at his friend again. "What do you think?"

Garrick shrugged his shoulders and said, "We should get him out of there. I don't want an innocent man's blood on my hands." He rubbed the edge of his sword. "That is, if he is innocent."

Link sighed and shook his head. His friend had always been quick to judge strangers. He remembered the first time he had met Garrick.....

While hunting in the woods one day, Garrick had stumbled upon a horde of Moblins. They had beaten him unconscious and taken him captive. He was almost dead when Link suddenly dropped from the trees like an animal. After he had routed the Moblins, Link attended to the near-lifeless hunter. Using herbs he picked from the forest, Link was able to revive him. Unfortunately, Garrick pulled out his sword and engaged him in a fierce duel, leaving Link with a scar on his right arm. However, Link was able to calm Garrick down enough to explain what had happened. He then placed Garrick, exhausted from the battle, on his horse, and they both headed back to the North Castle. Impa, the nursemaid and an expert in medicine, could help relieve their wounds. Garrick soon found out that Link wasn't his enemy, and in exchange for saving his life, Garrick became a knight of Hyrule. By his own will, he decided fight alongside Link for as long as he would live, almost as a penance for the nasty gash in Link's arm. Those events seemed so distant to Link now as he stood by the well.

"Hello? Hey, you up there! I'm still _down_ here! the man shouted.

"All right, all right, we'll get you out. Now hold on to the bucket. We'll pull you up," Link shouted back.

Garrick and Link grabbed the rope and with all their strength, pulled Leras up. He was heavier than they thought. 

"You... okay?" Link asked breathlessly as the fat man climbed out of the well.

"Yes, thank you for helping me. I don't know how long I was going to have to hide there."

Link and Garrick looked at the man. "Who did this?" Garrick asked. He waved his hand at the burning remains of the town.

"To tell you the truth, I really don't know. They had hoods over their heads and glowing red eyes." Leras shivered.

"C'mon, we have to get you some dry clothes. Maybe we can find something in one of the houses," Garrick suggested.

The three of them headed toward the nearest house. They opened the wooden door cautiously. Broken glass littered the ground and the stench of burnt flesh hung in the air. They found a long, brown tunic hanging on a peg. Chances were that the owner wasn't going to be wearing them again, and it seemed to be just Leras' size.

Leras grabbed the tunic and went to another room to change. Garrick shuffled silently back and forth.

After a while, Garrick said to Link, "I don't know about this."

"About what?" Link responded.

"About Leras, the town, everything that's happened here. Nobody could have caused this much damage. Plus, I still don't trust that Leras guy."

"I don't trust him anymore than you do, but he could help us find whoever did this. We'll have to take him to the North Castle later for more questioning," Link said. "After that, we'll go to the other towns and warn them."

"Even the ones in East Hyrule?"

Link was silent. Last time he had sailed to East Hyrule, he was very close to dying in the Great Palace while facing his own shadow. Link felt cold all of a sudden. He shuddered.

"Yes, we'll have to tell Nabooru, Kasuto, and Darunia of the attack," Link said slowly. "It's going to take a couple of days., but we have to be quick about it. No telling where the enemy might strike next."

Garrick looked thoughtful. "It can't be Ganon again, can it? What if....?"

"No. Impossible."

"I know how you almost died in the Great Palace. What makes you so sure that one of Ganon's followers hasn't filled a pint of your blood after the fight?" Garrick said.

Again, Link was silent. _Could _it be Ganon again? He told himself that Ganon was dead and conquered. He couldn't accept that. Too much had been won for it to just be lost again.

"You're right. When we go to warn the people, we'll be sure to mention Ganon. Although an attack on a town doesn't seem to be his style...."

"Yeah, I- what was that?" There was a loud crash in the room where Leras was changing. Link and Garrick both unsheathed their swords instinctively.

A moment later, Leras reassured them. "It's all right. I just tripped on a basket!"

The duo put their weapons away. However, they were still suspicious.

"How long has he been in there?" Garrick muttered.

"Long enough. Leras, hurry up!" Link shouted.

"In a minute!" the fat man said hastily.

Garrick glanced at the side door on the other side of the room. Leras came tumbling through the door, complaining about how the tunic was too tight for him.

"Be sure to keep an eye on him," Garrick said quietly to Link.

Leras gave a small chuckle. "Well, as you can see, um, the tunic was smaller than I thought."

Link cast a sidelong glance at his friend. He whispered to Garrick, "That's not the same tunic that we found on the peg."

Garrick suddenly leaped at Leras and wrestled him to the ground, pinning him in place. He pulled out his sword and held the blade by his throat.

"Who are you?" he growled.

Leras had a look of fear on his eyes. "Wha..."

"Garrick!" Link yelled. "What are you doing?"

The brash hunter responded, "I'm just trying to find out who he really is!" Garrick inched his sword closer towards his prey's throat.

"Please, please, don't kill me. I was just following orders," Leras whimpered.

"Following orders from whom?" Link asked harshly.

Leras looked at the blade. He swallowed heavily. "I...ah... following... from.... from,"

"From who, damn it?!" Garrick's sword cut a small incision in Leras' neck. Red blood trickled from the small gash, staining the tunic. 

Link hollered at his partner. "That's enough, Garrick! Get off of him!"

With a disgusted sigh, Garrick got off of Leras. However, he still held his sword at his neck. He gazed at the frightened man with burning eyes.

More calmly, yet with a hint of impatience, Link asked again, "Leras, what were you ordered to do and from whom?"

"I.. uh, was following orders from a woman called Veran. She's the leader of a group of ruffians. I don't know who they are though...," said Leras.

"Were they the ones who attacked the town?" asked Link.

"Yes."

"What did she tell you?" Link pressed.

Leras looked to the side of the room. There was an open window. 

_Maybe I could make a run for it,_ he thought.

Aloud, he said, "She ordered me to tell the town guards of a hoard of Daria in the woods plotting to attack the village. But it was just a......"

Suddenly, the three men heard shouting coming from outside. Link moved to the window while Garrick still held his blade at Leras. Many men were assembled in the village square, weapons drawn.

The guards had returned.

"What in the name of Din happened here?"

"Where's my wife?"

"How could this have happened?"

The regiment was in an uproar, with the captain trying his best to calm the panic-stricken soldiers. His efforts were futile and before long, he got down on his knees, cursing in anger and frustration. 

Link called from inside the house. 

"Hey, out there!"

The startled captain looked up, almost by reflex. He withdrew his sword and pointed it toward the house. The other soldiers did the same.

"Who's in there?" the captain demanded.

Link and Garrick, with a whimpering Leras obediently following behind them, stepped out of the small house. The captain lowered his sword and rushed up to meet Link, an old comrade.

"Link! Garrick!" the captain said. "Glad to see you. But what happened here? Who did this?"

Link said, "That's what we've been trying to figure out, Captain Dias. We saw smoke coming from over the hills while we were at Lake Hylia."

"I think we better inform the princess," said Garrick, "as well as the other towns."

"Good," Dias said. "I'll send a few messengers back to North Castle to inform Princess Zelda. I'm going to divide the troops into five groups and then send them out to inform the other towns."

"Makes our job easier," Link grinned amid all the chaos surrounding him.

Dias continued, "You and Garrick lead groups one and two and head across the sea to Darunia and Nabooru, respectably."

"Before I forget," Link said coldly, "take this man to the dungeons for murder." He handed a frightened Leras over to the captain.

"Will do," said Captain Dias.

Turning to his troop, he raised his voice and said, "To prevent further damage to the other towns, you will be divided into five equal parties. Link and Garrick will lead parties one and two and will head off to Darunia and Nabooru. I will lead a party to go to New Kasuto. Tomorrow morning, our groups will leave for the east. Three of you will be sent back to North Castle, along with this man, who is to be promptly sent to the dungeons. You will also inform the princess of what happened in Saria and tell the perimeter guards to keep watch. Get your things ready. We leave camp in an hour."

Dias immediately sent three of his fastest men off to warn Zelda of the possibility of an attack. The rest of the troop scattered into various factions, preparing supplies and armor. Whatever undamaged crops from the fields they managed to collect they fed to their horses. A man was assigned to fill troughs of water for the horses. Some men, parched after their grueling journey, dunked their heads in the trough along with the horses.

The sun began its slow descent, and the blue sky faded into a pale orange. Birds called in the distance, and the swarm of mosquitoes irritated the troops.

When all was ready, the five groups headed off, one by one, in various directions. Each leader wished the best of luck to their comrades as they departed. Link, Dias, and Garrick's troops were among the last to leave. 

"Time to go," Link said to his group as they began to start moving. The captain and his group followed, then Garrick and his men. A fourth group joined them on their journey to Mido.

"Ready?" Garrick asked his regiment. 

No one had an answer.

  
  



	3. Sail to the East

The fiery sun slowly set on the horizon until it disappeared, casting the world into shadow. The bone-chilling cry of a wolf could be heard in the distance, suddenly cut short. Up in the night sky, dark clouds shrouded the moon and stars. On Death Mountain, a bitterly cold wind blew softly and constantly, with a small gust now and then. Some wise men say that if you listen carefully, the spirits of the past can sometimes be heard in the wind.

Veran wouldn't have any of it. Once a person was dead, that was it. No lingering spirits, no afterlife. Alone she stood on a small plateau near the top of Death Mountain. A tall, slender woman she was, her long dark hair drifting in the breeze. The icy wind didn't affect her. Over the years, she had learned how to ignore the biting winds on the mountain. 

Veran swept her gaze across the land. With malice in her eyes , she could still see the smoke from Saria wafting away. A thin smile crept to her lips.

_Perfect, _she thought. _Now, those wretched Hylians will realize that all is not safe anymore in their little world._

Suddenly, she heard approaching footsteps and turned around. A large, pale man, a messenger, stood there and shivered in the cold. He pulled his cloak over him.

"Yes, what is it?" she demanded.

"Ma- m- ma'am, it a- appears that the Hylians are a- alerted," the man stammered. "There are m- many s- so- soldiers now stationed in the towns in the w- w- west."

"I know that," she hissed. "I want you to tell twenty of our most experienced warriors that I want them to sail to the east island tomorrow. Be sure that at least two of them are able to command a ship. They will board, unnoticed, on two freight ships, headed for East Hyrule. They will remain in the hold until the ship is far enough from land, which shouldn't be a terribly long wait. Then they will kill the crew and throw the bodies overboard with weights tied around their ankles. When they reach the eastern shore, they will split off, with one team attacking Darunia and the other attacking New Kasuto. With those two towns demolished, Nabooru will have no back-up. If their deeds are accomplished successfully, they will be greatly rewarded. Leave." 

"Y- yes, ma'am," the cold man said. He bowed quickly and left.

Veran turned and looked up at the night sky. Far off into the distance, the gray wisps in Saria and faded away. She sighed. Only a matter of time.

"She wants us to do _what_?" Shola asked incredulously.

A group of men were sparring within a large cavern. Around the outer walls, torches flickered. The stalactites above and stalagmites below were dripping with water, like brown icicles. Shadows shivered on the walls, and resembled the open mouth of a dragon.

"I believe she said that she wanted the twenty of the best warriors to sail to East Hyrule and to attack the towns there," the messenger sneered. A change seemed to come over him, and he had a strong, but bitter voice.

"That's crazy! I can understand attacking one, maybe two towns, but three is suicide," Garo said as he blocked a kick to the stomach from his partner. Garo retaliated and struck the side of his opponent. He backed off and wheezed. 

"You will split up into two equal teams, and go into hiding in the holds of two separate freighters. Once you are far away from the shore, you will kill the crew, tie weights to their ankles, and toss them overboard. When you get to the eastern shore, you will make your way around Nabooru undetected, and you will lay ruin to Darunia and New Kasuto. After you have accomplished your task, you will wait on the outskirts of town for the other group to return. Once you see them approaching, begin the attack."

Shola skillfully dodged a blow that would have knocked him unconscious, then grabbed his partner's arm and flipped him. He landed hard with a dull thud.

He panted, "Do you think that it is that simple? The Hylians are probably on their way to the east to warn of the attack. We will lose our element of surprise, and chances are, we will walk into an ambush."

The messenger stood still, a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Very well. I will go back and tell Veran that the lot of you are too cowardly to accept this task. After all, you are supposed to be "great" warriors." He turned to leave.

"Wait!" Shola said. "My comrades and I will take this task. That is, unless anybody here is a coward. Speak up, if you do not wish to go."

No one spoke.

"Good. However, we are short a few men, after our raid on Saria today."

"That is not a problem. Veran will gather more warriors."

The messenger left to report to the mistress, and the others resumed their training. 

"Oh, yes," the messenger said. "Before I forget, does anyone here know how to handle a ship?"

The princess paced back and forth rapidly in her room. She felt as if the nightmares from her sleep had somehow come to life. She fingered her hair worriedly. 

"Your highness?" one of the soldiers nearby said. "Link and Sir Garrick are on their way to Mido right now. They will leave for East Hyrule in the morning to warn the other towns."

"I hope they'll be all right," Zelda said.

"Princess, don't worry," Impa comforted. "That Link is a crafty young fellow. I'm sure he'll come back with no more than a scratch."

"I suppose you're right."

"Your highness, may we take leave?" the soldier asked.

"Hmm..?" Zelda seemed to be coming out of a thought. "Oh. Yes, yes."

Joined by the two other messengers, they all bowed and left.

Impa said, "Princess, you should get some more sleep. There's nothing more that you can do but pray and wait. They'll be all right. Good night." She picked up a candle and left the room, closing the door quietly.

Zelda sat on the edge of her bed. She grabbed a pillow and held it tightly in her arms. Outside, she could see the clouds hovering over the land like the shadow of a giant. There was neither moon nor star in the sky. Desperately, she wished that she could do something to help. A thought suddenly flashed back to her past. Perhaps she could.

Although it was late, the port town of Mido was wide awake. The entire town glowed with a warm yellow light. Merry voices could be heard from within, especially from the inn. Around the town, a forbidding stone wall had been erected to deter enemies. Archers kept a strong vigilance on the wall, one hand always on their bow. Further away, the dark, massive silhouette of ships could be seen sailing in the background. Coming to port or sailing away, it was hard to tell. 

Link and the other three groups were only about a mile distant from Mido, with nothing but fields in between. Their tired horses neighed miserably, yet their masters urged them on. They were looking forward to a night's rest after their journey.

"Don't worry," Garrick whispered to his horse as he stroked his mane. "It's not too far now." 

The horse swished his tail and gave a snort. 

As the company drew ever closer to the town , the cluster of lights appeared bright in their eyes, as bright as the midday sun. From the dazzling glow, the riders could make the pale forms of archers on the wall. Swiftly and skillfully, the archers had strung their bows and carefully aimed it at the riders.

When the caravan halted before the gate, they heard a voice from the other side of the wall.

"Who goes there? What business have you in Mido?" the voice demanded.

Captain Dias looked at Link, then answered, "This is Captain Dias, captain of the third regiment of the Hylian Army. With me is Sir Link, and company. We are looking for a place to stay the night."

"I thought I told you not to add the 'sir' to my name," Link grumbled.

"Hey, I'm sorry," Dias whispered back. 

A long silence passed between the company and the guards. The archers still aimed their bows at the company, fingers itching to let go. The riders shifted in their saddles uncomfortably.

"I can't believe this," Garrick moaned. He called to an archer, "Hey, you up there! Tell me, what is taking so long?"

The archer just looked coldly at Garrick and aimed his bow at him, ready to release the arrow if he so much as twitched.  
Finally, the voice spoke.

"All right, it appears that you are who you say you are. My sincerest apologies, captain. Let them in!"

With a loud groan, the iron gate slowly lifted, but the archers held steady.

When the portcullis was lifted over their heads and secured, the company slowly passed beneath the gates. A tall man with brown, unruly hair, and clad in armor that glinted in the torchlight, came to greet them.

"Dias!" he exclaimed. 

"Ceregal!"

They grasped each others forearms as the traditional sign of friendship between two lost comrades.

"Well, well. So, what brings you to Mido?" Ceregal asked. 

"Let's get to an inn first and stable these horses," Dias said. "We've had a long journey, and we're tired and hungry."

"No problem. I know of a well-to-do inn, the Lone Wolf, on the north side on town. It's on a hill, and it offers a beautiful view of the sea, " Ceregal told them.

"Thanks. We don't need anything but some beer in our mugs and a bed for our bones. We're in your debt."

"Don't mention it. There's only one problem, though."

_This is great, just _great, Link thought as he looked at the sea from a small clearing not far from camp.

As Link's company spread out the blankets on the cold, damp ground, they could hear the noisy chirping of crickets and the croaking of frogs. Often, they had to drive curious animals away from their belongings, rummaging for a snack. Nearby, the Lone Wolf Inn was aglow with light. The soldiers stared at the inn, dreaming of what delicacies were served in there. After all, Ceregal said it was a "well-to-do" inn. It was too bad that it could only quarter about half of their men. One of the men started a small fire in the center of their camp and pulled out a large pot from his sack.

"I'm making some stew, anybody want any?" he asked after a while.

When they didn't answer, he smacked the side of his pot with a wooden ladle. There was a loud clang, which reverberated. 

The others snapped out of their fantasy and answered enthusiastically, longing for something to fill their bellies.

"It's a shame that we don't have any meat," he sighed. The others joined in a chorus.

"Not for long," one of the men said and slipped off into the darkness, one hand on a bow.

"Hey, I'm going to cook this stew with or without the meat, so don't disappoint these men!" the cook called.

In the clearing, Link turned and headed back to his group. When he reached the camp, he asked, "What are you guys doing?"

"We're making stew. Want some?" they asked. "Rigal is getting some meat, but, knowing him, he'll come back with empty hands. Don't get your hopes up."

Link laughed. "Don't worry. I did that once before. Look where we ended up!"

"You do have a point."

As the soldiers settled on their sleeping mats, waiting for their stew, one of them asked a question.

"What do you suppose happened today at Saria?" 

The others took their time to answer. Obviously, it was a troubling question, and not one to be answered before a meal.

"Hmm, I suppose that there was a raid of some sort, probably by Moblins," a man offered.

"I doubt it," Link said. "Did you see how the villagers were hewn up?" he shuddered. "It doesn't seem the style of a Moblin."

"Link's right," the man called Toran said. "My guess is that there probably was a band of Daria, since it looks like their style."

Suddenly, Link remembered what Leras had told him. "The captive that was sent back to the castle, he told us that a group of bandits led by this woman, Veran, had attacked the town."

"Really? Well, I doubt that bandits, numerous as they were, are skilled enough to destroy a town like that," Tarm said. 

"This gives us quite a ridd-" Link stopped short. There was a rustling in the undergrowth just outside camp. Link grasped the hilt of his sword.

"Probably just Rigal. Wonder what's taking him so long?" Tarm said. Then he yelled, "Hey, Rigal! Get your hide over here, as well as whatever animal you have !"

When no answer came, Link got up.

"I'm going to see what's taking the rascal so long. Probably just trying to spook us," Link said as he left camp.

Walking a little away from camp, Link stopped and looked around. A mist was beginning to form.

"Rigal?" he called. "Rigal! Bring the food already! We're starving!"

There was the snap of a twig nearby and Lin turned. There was nothing there. He touched his sword.

"Rigal, I'm serious now. I'm going to give you to the count of three and if you don't bring the meat, you'll be reporting to Captain Dias first thing in the morning!"

Link paused.

"One..."

Only the sound of crickets.

"Two..."

He could hear breathing behind him.

"Three!" Link turned but saw no one there.

"Bah, that's it, I'm heading back to camp. Don't expect any stew left over!"

As Link began making his way to the camp, he could see a small figure in a grey cloak in the distance, shrouded in the mists. Whether he was looking at him, he couldn't tell.

A thought struck Link.

_Why not pay him back for wasting my time by scaring him out of his wits? _

Link climbed a nearby tree and stealthily made his way among the branches. Like a squirrel, he made no noise as he hopped from one tree to the other. 

When Link was just above the hooded stranger, he silently leaped and wrestled him to the ground. A brief struggle ensued, but Link managed to pin him to the ground. He pulled the man to his feet and lifted the hood.

"Zelda?" a shocked Link gasped. Then, realizing that he had just fought the princess, he bowed down low. "Please forgive me, princess. I didn't know it was you."

Zelda looked amused. Then she said, "It's all right, Link. You can get up."

Suddenly, Link said, almost in a gruff tone, "Princess, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be back at the castle. You know, you could have been kidnapped or worse coming all the way here."

She looked at him for a long moment. "Don't you take that tone with me," she said haughtily, waving a finger at him. She looked away. With a sad sigh, she said, "I got your message. I hope nothing of the sort doesn't happen again in the other towns. It reminds me of....."

There was another rustle in the bushes.

Link, frustrated, yelled, "I am getting tired of this, Rigal, so just show yourself!"

"Ok."

Like scared rabbits, Link and Zelda jumped and turned around.

"Don't you ever do that again!" Zelda shrieked.

"Yes, ma'am," Rigal said. Then, realizing that he was speaking to the princess, he quickly said, "Please forgive me, princess. I didn't know it was you."

Zelda regained her composure and grinned. "I hate it when they do that," she said to Link.

"Princess, what are you-"

"Easy, Rigal, she'll tell you back at camp. But where were you? I've been yelling out your name," Link said.

Rigal said, "Hey, I was on the other side of camp. Lucky for us, I found some rabbit. But you better hurry back. The way those rogues eat, it'll be a wonder if anything but the pot is left." 

Dias sighed. He couldn't sleep, not with all the snoring and mumbling going on around him. Nevertheless, he tried to find a more comfortable sleeping position. The innkeeper said that while there were rooms upstairs, they were already occupied by spiders. "Fierce and deadly, as big as your head," he had said. Dias didn't believe a word of it, but the innkeeper was obstinate. Finally, he decided that they would all just spread blankets on the floor and hope to get some sleep. Most drifted off as soon as they hit the ground. 

"Well-to-do, huh?" he said to the ceiling. The room was dim, except for a candle in the corner. He thought that he saw the shadow of a huge spider.

"Hey, this was the only inn that was available for so large a group," Ceregal said sleepily. "Plus, the innkeeper was willing to go cheap."

"And so were you," Dias said. He kicked a soldier that rolled too close to him. He woke up with a snort, then fell back to sleep. "We have no fire, no breathing room, a lousy dinner, and worst of all, no beer."

"All right, all right, I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you and the guys. Hmm, I know, I'll pay for all of us," Ceregal said.

"That's more like it. I wonder how Link and his buddies are doing?" asked Dias.

"No worse than us, I'll warrant. After all, we're inside at least," answered his comrade. Then he asked, "So, what were you going to tell me back at the gate?"

"Oh," said Dias slowly as if it pained him. " There was an attack on Saria today, in broad daylight. Many lives were lost." He looked grim.

"I know."

"You _know?_ Who told you?" asked Dias curiously.

"There were some survivors that stumbled into Mido, they're staying in another inn on the other side of town. Now you know why it took so long for you to enter Mido," Ceregal explained.

"Not to mention those archers."

"Don't worry. My archers won't hurt a fly, though they could fifty paces away. We're just a little spooked, that's all."

"We'll be leaving one of our groups here in Mido to help keep an eye on things. Can't be too safe. Tomorrow morning, three of our groups are sailing to the east, but not before I have a word with those survivors."

"Wish I could come with you. It's killing me to be cooped up here in Mido for who knows how long," Ceregal said.

A soldier on the far side of the room could be suddenly be heard murmuring.

"No, no! Don't kill her!" he said, mumbled something unintelligible, then fell silent.

Ceregal sat up. He said, "I feel sorry for the poor fellow. Sounds like he lost someone."

"His name is Harad. Lost his fiancee today in the attack. They were going to get married next week." Dias looked at him with pity. "He's changed now."

"Well, it pains my heart to seem him like that. We'll get those murderers sooner or later."

"I hope so," Dias said as he got up.

"Where you going?"

"Can't sleep, so might as well check out that view you were telling me about. That is, unless you were lying about that too."

Ceregal chuckled, then lay down. "Well, good night, and try not to make too much noise." He yawned and fell asleep.

Dias tiptoed across the dim room being very careful not to trip over anybody. As he reached for the door, it swung open, revealing a hooded figure.

He fell over in surprise and landed on one of his men with a groan. Both men recovered quickly and drew their swords, half expecting to be attacked.

Suddenly, they heard Link calling, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey, is that any way to treat your princess?" said Link as the small figure pulled off the hood.

"M-my princess," Dias stammered. "I had no idea." He and his soldier bowed low.

"Please, get up," said Zelda. "There's no need for anymore formalities. You can go back to sleep, if you wish." She shivered. Link took off his cloak, stained from travel, and wrapped it around the princess as he led her inside.

"You'd better get inside and have something to eat," he said. Captain Dias went to look if there was still any edible food left in the inn's store.

Soon afterward, the three of them were sitting quietly at a nearby table nibbling on stale pieces of bread. The shadows flickered as the flame of their small candle danced back and forth. The young soldier, unable to find a use for his sword, had already fallen asleep.

"So everyone outside knows about the princess?" Dias asked.

"They should, after she told them all to go to sleep. Probably having nightmares about her," Link grinned.

"Hey," Zelda said as she hit him on the arm playfully. "Don't be surprised if you turn court jester, _Sir_ Link."

The three of them chuckled.

"Seriously, I came here to help. I won't sit by and watch my people suffer," said the princess.

Link said, "Zelda, do you know what is happening?

"No, but neither do you."

"Princess, have you _seen_ the damage in Saria? We don't want you to become another victim," said Dias.

"I am already a victim. It is the blood of the Hylia that flows in my veins and was spilled from theirs. I'm coming to help in any way that I can, whether you accept it or not. "

Seeing Zelda's determined eyes and having knowledge of her obstinate nature, Link and Dias reluctantly agreed.

"The king is not going to like this," said Link.

"The king doesn't need to know," replied Zelda.

Dias sighed. "Very well. If you're coming with us to the east, then we may as well get a few more hours sleep. We make ready as soon as the cock crows."

~to be continued


End file.
